Newcastle Falcons 2015 / 2016

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Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: John Wells
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props:
TH - Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Paddy Ryan, Andrew Foster
LH - Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry, Alex Rogers, Sam Lockwood, Adam Brocklebank (A)

Hookers: Scott Lawson, Ben Sowrey, Kyle Cooper
David Nelson (A), Santiago Socino (A)

Second Rows: Callum Green, Mauritz Botha, Will Witty, Sean Robinson , Evan Olmstead, Nick Civetta, Glen Youngs, Andrew Davidson
Harry Snowdon (A), Josh Williams (A), Max Davies (A),

Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Dan Temm, Joshua Chisanga, Harrison Orr, Opeti Fonua, Tyrone Holmes
Joe Craggs (A), Calum Chick (A), Sebastian Ferreira (A), Simon Uzokwe (A)

Backs
SH's: Sonatane Tukulua, Micky Young, Sam Egerton
Dan Taylor (A),  Ruaridh Dawson (A)

Fh's: Tom Catterick, Mike Delaney, Joel Hodgson  
Craig Willis (A), Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Adam Powell, Chris Harris,
Adam Redman centre (A), Tom Penny (A)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Marcus Watson, Zac Kibirige, Veriniki Goneva,
Dan Marshall (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley
Ed Coulson (A)

Signings for Next Season:
Niki Goneva - Wing (Leicester)
Sam Lockwood - LH Prop (Jersey)
Sam Egerton - SH (7's / Quins)
Harrison Orr - Back Row (Ealing)
Joel Hodgson - 9, 10, 15 (Leeds)
Ben Sowrey - Hooker (Worcester)
Evan Olmstead - Lock (London Scottish)
Opeti Fonua - Back Rower
Nick Civetta - Lock forward
Andrew Davidson (Academy) - Lock Forward
Kyle Cooper - Hooker
Tyrone Holmes - 6/7 - Glasgow

Well Dean seems to rate him very highly, he's a local lad and is a good player when I'm form.

Some have questioned his starting spot but it never seems to enter Deans head when the lad is fit. And he's a better judge than me.

It seems that Dean prefers two similar flankers rather than traditional 6 and 7's.

Anyway interesting team for Sunday v Sale. We have a host of trialists and academy players put again. Some impressed last Friday v Georgia though so some of the senior internationals away should take notice....

Young Sean Robinson has signed a new extension.

Think that's a good move. Gives you options of Lock and 6. He's only 24 so still learning.
But importantly it shows the rest of the kids that we want to keep the local lads here.

Uli Kolo'ufai has left the club by mutual consent.

Hopefully we can sign up a monster back row carrier now who will actually play for us.

Gorgodze would have been impressed with the falcons set up?

Shame it never worked out as he looked impressive in his 2 game. Certainly need a backup 6/8 now with only really Hogg and Wilson on the books.

I wonder if they'll sign that Fairbrother the navy trialist?

Otherwise we need to scour the world and bring in a Nathan Hughes, Manu Samoa or Opeti Fonua.

In the current squad Sgt we have the following cover:

6:Josh Furno,  Sean Robinson, Mark Wilson, Dan Temm, Sebastian Ferreira, Will Welch, Joe Craggs, Richard Mayhew

No.8: Kane Thompson, Ally Hogg, Richard Mayhew, Mark Wilson, Calum Chick

Some of those are young, but I'm not sure any of them have that big carrying game that i'd really like to see.

8 looks light. Past Hogg those 4 are just ok at 8 imo.

Chick's going to be a superstar.

What ever happened to Alex Grey?

Went to Irish and he's now in the England 7's series isn't he.

Ill hold my judgement of charge chick until he's played few seasons. Looks a prospect but that's what I thought of gray.

I see we have signed trialist Santiago Socino - JP's younger brother.

He will go in to the senior academy and is a hooker.

Apparently we have signed Todd Clever, former USA Captain. Not a bad signing I believe.

Yeah it's confirmed. Good signing.

Odd signing.

Certainly a big bloke but at 32 not a spring chicken. Don't even think he made the WC squad did he?

Got some gas for a forward.

I'm sure he was dropped for discipline issues.

He's not the carrier I want. Another Mayhew... Tough decent back rower.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS: B Connon, T Penny, C Harris, A Powell, D Marshall, C Willis, R Tipuna; R Vickers, G McGuigan, S Wilson, C Green, S Robinson, D Temm, W Welch (captain), R Mayhew.

Replacements: S Lawson, B Harris, A Foster, S MacLeod, D Fairbrother, C Chick, R Dawson, A Blair, J Tali, J Wigglesworth.

LEICESTER TIGERS: M Tait (captain), A Thompstone, P Betham, S Bai, G Catchpole, F Burns, S Harrison; R Brugnara, G Bateman, F Balmain, M Fitzgerald, G Kitchener, T Croft, L McCaffrey, L Pearce.

Replacements: H Thacker, T Pasquali, S De Chaves, M Williams, C Loamanu, G Tressider, T Bell, J Farnworth, P Odogwu.

A few RL boys on the bench and numerous youngsters getting a shot. The Tigers team is much stronger, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 30+ loss.

Interesting side .

Scott Wilson had a very good game. As did one of you back rowers (but not sure which).

Falcons dominated possession in first half, but dilly dallied a bit in possession and both teams created the same amount of chances and 3 tries each was a fair reflection of the attacking - if not possession and territory.

Not really at the races in the second half, though your scrum continued to be a strength.

Respectable score given the side we put out. There were was some class on show for the Tigers so to stay within touching distance for much of the match is pretty decent.

Glad to see young Scott is starting to look really good in the scrum after we bigged him up for a few years.

He was excellent against Georgia as well.

As for the back rowers...Mayhew and Welch are both good players and established. Dan Temm is a kiwi 7 and one we had a lot of hope for.

I think it was Temm who looked really lively in the loose. Did he get a try?

Thought is was a bit cruel to select a 12 year old on your left wing.

ha ha ha yeah he looks so young doesn't he

Hes a prospect though.

Yeah probably Temm. We signed him a few seasons back and had very high hopes but hes not really made the first team despite some cracking performances in the A league games.

But Dean seems to be including him in the squad more so far in the warm up games so maybe he'll get a few games this season. A proper Kiwi 7.

Furno having a good game for Italy v France.

And Venditti has just scored....

Side we are putting out for tonight v Leicester

1 R Vickers
2 S Lawson
3 S Wilson
4 M Botha
5 S MacLeod
6 R Mayhew
7 W Welch (captain)
8 T Clever.

9 R Tipuna
10 C Willis
11 Z Kibirige
12 J Tali
13 A Powell
14 D Marshall
15 M Watson,

Replacements: G McGuigan, A Rogers, B Harris, A Foster, C Green, D Temm, C Chick, R Dawson, B Connon, C Harris, T Penny, E Coulson

Leicester Tigers (Newcastle Falcons, away, Friday 7.45pm)
15 Mathew Tait (c)
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Peter Betham
12 Seremaia Bai
11 George Catchpole
10 Freddie Burns
9 Sam Harrison
1 Riccardo Brugnara
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Mike Fitzgerald
5 Sebastian De Chaves
6 Mike Williams
7 Tom Croft
8 Lachlan McCaffrey

Replacements
16 Jake Farnworth
17 Greg Bateman
18 Tiziano Pasquali
19 Joe Maksymiw
20 Laurence Pearce
21 Ben White
22 Jack Roberts
23 Tommy Bell
Will Evans
Christian Loamanu
George Tresidder
George Worth
Paolo Odogwu

Croft back eh Welly?

That's a strong looking Leicester side actually.

And we're putting out a potentially talented but very inexperienced backline.

Better looking side from us, good to see some of the new boys. Who's Tali GF?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Croft back eh Welly?

That's a strong looking Leicester side actually.

And we're putting out a potentially talented but very inexperienced backline.

He was back last week, Although @7 is new guess McCaffrey will play that role but on our scrums fill the 8 role.

Williams will be the heavy hitter @ 6

Expect the Falcons pack to dominate and be the key factor in a fairly easy Falcons win.

I'm not sure sure LT. That's a very fresh backline with little experience in the 15 game never mind against AP quality.

I've heard Willis has done well at 10 which is a surprise as I don't think he was rated too highly.

I could see us getting on top at the scrum perhaps, this isn't televised is it?

Well looks like it was a decent game.

Sgt
Talis is the Papua new Guinea centre at Newcastle thunder

28-30

Sounds like the backs defensive efforts left a lot to be desired. Apparently Clever was impressive on debut, anybody go?

When did Fry become decent in the scrum???

I wasn't aware he had?

Was he half decent against Scotland?

Best I've ever seen him in the set piece, they kind of got on top in the scrum

Is the work with Wells and Ward finally paying off?

Team for Sale

1.Rob Vickers
2. Scott Lawson
3. Alex Rogers,
4. Mouritz Botha
5. Calum Green
6. Richard Mayhew
7. Will Welch (c)
8. Todd Clever.

9. Ruki Tipuna
10. Mike Delany
11. Marcus Watson
14. Tom Penny
12. Adam Powell
13. Chris Harris
14. Tom Penny
15. Simon Hammersley

Replacements: George McGuigan, Ben Harris, Andy Foster, Scott MacLeod, Sean Robinson, Callum Chick, Dan Temm, Ruaridh Dawson, Dan Marshall, Jason Tali, Ed Coulson, Brett Connon

Teams up for Gloucester....

1 Rob Vickers,
2. Scott Lawson,
3. Taione Vea,
4. Mouritz Botha,
5. Calum Green,
6. Richard Mayhew,
7. Will Welch (c),
8. Todd Clever.

9. Ruki Tipuna
10. Mike Delany
11. Sinoti Sinoti
12. Adam Powell
13. Chris Harris
14. Tom Catterick
15 Simon Hammersley

Replacements: 16. George McGuigan, 17. Eric Fry, 18. Scott Wilson, 19. Josh Furno, 20. Ally Hogg, 21. Micky Young, 22. Craig Willis, 23. Tom Penny.

Good side, I like the pack.

Little odd that this is the first we're seeing of Vea & Delany. Are we that short of wingers that we need to play Catterick? (who's pretty poor there)

Ive just said the same on the unoffy.

Delaney has played 1 game already, but Vea has been missing. So not sure on that one. And Wilson who has been playing well just demoted to the bench??

Never mind its a good pack. Come on lets get a win!!!

And yes TC on the wing?? Whats going on there?

Thank the Lord for bet365! Is this on TV?

Not sure mate. Yes I am on that site aswell...its great.

Im at the game though. Ill let you know my thoughts on Friday night.

Canny mate, back to the ME tomorrow morning, not well timed at all.

Ah nightmare.

I wonder why we haven't seen much of Vea.

Apparently Alex Tait is injured hence TC on the wing.

Yea it's a little strange with Vea. No Harris is a bit of a surprise, I thought he'd get ahead of Vickers.

Really hoping we have a good scrum this year.

You and me both mate. The scrum should be strong this season...add in Welsh aswell.

Well.....team for next week?

1. Fry (carried on WC form)
2. McGuigan (darts much improved?)
3. Welsh
4. Botha
5. Green
6. Wilson (is he fit?)
7. Latu
8. Hogg

9. Young
10. Delany
11. Sinoti
12. Powell
13. Harris (great try)
14. Tuilagi
15. Tait (hopefully back)

16. Lawson
17. Vea
18. Harris
19. Furno
20. Clever
21. Tukulua
22. Catterick
23. Tuilagi

I'd give young Scott a start at Th. Played well all pre season and,did when he Came on.

Wouldn't drop Hammersley.

Your probably not far off. I think McGuigan needs to start now...he always adds power and urgency when hes on.

Will we not have Venditti back for the wing also.

Belisario agulla. What do you think?